Revolving fan.



0. 8. JENNINGS.

REVOLVING FAN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 6. I915.

1 ,270,832. Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- WITNESSES: INVENTOR e 8 Jemzmys.

4 4' l r Z s 4 TTORNEY ll nun: conrnamurum. \vuummun. u c.

0. 8. JENNINGS.

REVOLVING FAN.

APPUCATION FILED IAN-6.1915- 1 ,270,832. Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 01 Z1167 S. Jennings.

Z E a ATTORNEY UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, OLIVER S. JENNINGS, F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIQAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

REVOLVING FAN.

Application filed January 6, 1915. Serial No. 791.

'Fans, of which the following is a specification. a

'My invention relates to revolving fans,

and it has special reference to gyratory electric fans that are adapted to turn on. an axis of rotation while simultaneously and automatically turning around an external 7 -ax1s of revolution. 1 3.

()ne object of my invention is to provide a gyratory fan of'simple, compact and durable construction which shall be provided with positively actuated mechanical means for eflectingthe rotation of the fan support by power derived from the rotating shaft that carries the fan blades.

-Another object of my invention is to pro vide a fan of the above-indicated character which may be readily adjusted to deliver air either horizontally or at various angles of inclination without disengaging the gearing which causes the revolution of the fan structure. a

In the accompanying drawings, Figure '1 is a side view, partially in elevatlon and partially in section, showing a revolving fan constructed in accordance with my invention and provided with two sets of rotating fan blades. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section, showing the driving belt mech ani'sm and the mechanism for varying the inclination of the fan motors, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 'IIIIII of Fig. 1.

The structure shown in the drawing 'comprises two fan motors land 2 pivot'ally supported at 3 and 4 upon opposite sides of a bracket .5 that is rotatably suspended from hanger rod 6. To the screw-threaded lower end 'of the hanger 6 is attached a casting 7 provided, at its lower end, with a pulley groove 8 and also provided with inwardlyextendin'g arms 9 that support an internally screw-threaded member 10 which is engaged by the screw-threaded upper end of a. vertical rod 11. The lower end of the rodillis also screw-threaded and engages threads in a bottom casting 12, the exterior contour of which is substantially spherical. The'outside of the bracket 5 is also spheri- Specification of Letters Patent.

cally curved to correspond to the bottom casting 12, and a hood 13 is disposed above the bracket 5 and rests upon a shoulder 14 formed in the casting 7. The members 5, 12 and 13 together compose a generally spherical structure. The bracket 5 is provided with an upwardly extending sleeve 15 that surrounds the rod 11, and ball bearings 16 are disposed in a suitable ball race between the sleeve 15 and the rod 11.

i As the fan motors 1 and 2 may be of any desired type,the details of their structure will not be described. Secured to the rear end-bell of each of the fan motors is a gear box 17, and the gear box 17 associated with the fan motor 1 contains the mechanism for driving the bracket 5 around its support by power derived from the armature shaft 18 of the fan motor.

Axially secured to the armature shaft 18 in any suitable manner, as by means of cooperating clutch teeth 18 and 19, is a worm 20, which is maintained in engagement with the shaft by means of a plug 21" screwed into a screw-threaded opening in the wall of the gear box 17. The worm 20 meshes with a worm wheel21 that is mounted on a short shaft 22 coaxial with the pivot 3 of the fan motor 1, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. Also secured to the short shaft 22 is a pulley 23, around which extends a belt 24: which also extends around the pulley groove 8 on the lower end of the casting 7 The belt 24: may be composed either of flexible leather belting or of helically wound wire,

and, if a leather belt is used, it is maintained maintained by meansof a tension spring.

28 that is secured, at one end, to the arm 26 and, at the other end, "to a slidable plate 29 mounted in suitable supports 29 on the bracket 5. The tension of the spring may be varied by changing the position of the plate 29 in the supports 29*}. The belttightening pulley 25is disposed at such an inclination and in such a positionthat the belt is caused to engage the two pulleys 8 and 23, the axes of which are perpendicular to each other, with no tendency to sliplaterally from either pulley. It will be evident that the rotation of the armature shaft l will be transmitted to the pulley 23 through the worm wheel 21 and the shaft 22, and that the belt 24, by'reason of its engagement with the? rotating pulley 23' and with. the stationary pulley 8, will pull the. bracket 5 and the fan" motors 1 and 2 around. "the axisof the pulley'8. The speed of this movement of revolution may be varied by. changing the relative diameters ofthe pulley wheels 8 and 23.

- The fan motors 1 and'2 are loosely mountedup'on-their. respective pivots 3 and 4, and

V V are maintained at predetermined equal in- -clinations by reciprocable -members v and V 31, the'outer ends of which are rounded to 1 engage suitably roundedportions ofthe fan motor casings. The'adjusting members 30 "their opposite :ends, with slotsLO and/i1, abothof whichare'engagedby a pin 42 that I 1 and- .31' are .piVotally; .connected,:' by pivots I 32.; and 33, respectively,f'to two :bell crank levers Mend 35,, which are'provided, at

it isrigidly securedto a nut 43 disposed" upon is prov-idedfat its outer; end; with a wing nut 46.] It Will be evident from the. drawings, and especially from Fig. 2,.i'that the members 30. and 31 may be.-moved length- "wise by turning the wing nut 46. and thereby q ovi ng the nut .43 ,alongthe.screw.44c.-; Energy maybe supplied t'othe fan motors a screw 44.; One. end of the screw a t-is secured ina bearing 45in. the sleeve lf5 and e l and 2 inyany convenient manner, such, for

example,,as by means of a pair of brushes containedjinQbruSh holders and 51: and

engaging slip rings 52 and-'53. ;The electric icircuit "may be lcontrolled by means 015 a switch device 54] operated by meansof 1 a chain 1 or cord i 55. The conductors supplying energy to the brushes and fromthe slip rings to the fan motors may be; arranged in any convenientand usual manner, and

are not shown on the drawing."

Y hen, the. fan motorsare positioned with the axes of their armature shaftshorizon tal, .the rotation of the bracket around the hanger ,Gis produced solely by. the power transmitted through; the driving; belt. YVhen; however, "the 'fans are tilted "either upwardly, or downwardly as .ishown in, the drawing, thetorq'ueof the motors willeither assist "or retard theidrivingefiect of the J belt, depending upon the direction oftilt, the direction of rotation of theifan blades, and the consequent, direction j in which the torque is exerted The torque efi'e'ct may,

3 of itself, besuflicieht to rotate the. bracket,

in which case; no' drivingpower is transnittedby the .belt. "In this tilted position of the fans, fth'e driving belttherefore iperformsthe double functionof a speed regulater and of a driving element. It.'.main' [tains a fixed speed ratio between the fan blades and fthe braoket, ,and also supplies ever additional driving foiceis necessary to rotate the bracket at the required. 1

speed.

i The structure herein shown' arid described' V may be variously modified without jdepart- I ing: from the principles of my'1nvent1on,

17o and it is therefore to be understood thatmy invention comprehends all suchchanges and modifications as fall within the scope I claim as my'invention;

1. The combinationwith a rotatabl esupof the appended claims. I.

port, of a motor mounted on the said sup port, and belt-operatedmeans drivenby the j l said motorfor rotating the said support. 2. The. combination with .a rotatable sup: port, of a motor mounted upon the said 1' support, astationarypulley.disposed-adja V cent to the said support, and a beltadapted to be driven by the. said motor and passing around. the said pulley for rotating thesaid v support. 7

The combinatioirwitha rotatable sup-I f port, of a motor mounted' on the saidisupi'. i port, a pulley also mounted onthe' saidpsupportland adapted to be driven, by :the said. motor, a=relatively jstationaryr pulley' disposed, adjacentto the said support, .andfa 4. "The combination with a rotatable sup{ -'.port,: of a -mot0r pivotally' mounted on the:

said support, and belt-driven means. operated by the. said; motor forrotatingthesaid; support, the. angular position of the saidk] motor aroundits pivotfbeing, adjustable Y '5. The combinationswithfarotatablesup-n a port, of a: motorqm'ounteclon thesaidsup i without afi'ecting the said rotating inean'sf beltpassingqover both ofthe said pulleys.-'i,

port, a pulleyalso mounted on thesaid sup V liespect toits pivot, the'said adjusting means -f ing the said member 7. The combination with comprising a 'movable member adapted to engage the said'fanga'nd sustain its jweighty" and a manually.operable 'linkage for mov- .:1'20 1 V a supportfand a fan pivotally mounted the'reon anglit ends ing'to rotate on its: pivot'under theinflw ence-of gravity, of a movable member adaptfl .1251? ed to engage thesaidl fan and to. prevent r 1 such rotative movement, and a'man'ual ly' op- 1 erable linkage for'movinglthe said memben 8..-.The combination with asupport, and",

.a fan mounted 5 upon; ai' horizontal vpivot .1301

thereon and tending to rotate upon the said pivot under the influence of gravity, of a horizontally reciprocable member adapted to engage the said fan and to prevent such rotative movement, and a manually operable linkage for moving the said member.

9. The combination with a support, and a plurality of fans pivotally mounted thereon,'of a manually operable linkage for simultaneously adjusting the pivotal position of the said fans.

10. The combination with a support, and a plurality of fans pivotally mounted thereon and tending to rotate around their respective pivots under the influence of gravity, of a plurality of movable members adapted to engage the said fans and to prevent such rotative movement, and a manually operable linkage for simultaneously moving the said members.

11. The combination with a rotatable support, of a motor mounted thereon and adapted to be tilted upon a horizontal axis, and a belt adapted to be driven by the said motor for regulating the speed of the said support and for contributing power to rotate the said support.

12. In a revolving fan mechanism, the

combination of a supporting pedestal, a

frame member rotatably mounted thereon,

an arm pivotally mounted on said frame, a rotary gearing element disposed coaxially with the pivotal axis of the arm, said gearing element having driving connection with the pedestal, a motor carried at the extremity of said arm for movement about said pedestal, a fan operably associated with said motor, and means carried by said arm for actuating said gearing element from said motor. 7

13. A revolving fan mechanism including a stationary pedestal member, a frame member rotatably mounted on said pedestal member, a pair of arms pivotally supported on said frame member and projecting in 'opposite directions from the sides thereof, a motor supported upon each of said arms, and gearing mounted within said frame member and one of said arms and interposed between one of said motors and said pedestal member to rotate the frame member about the axis of the pedestal member, the axis of one of the members of said gearing being coincident with the pivotal axis of the corresponding motor arm.

14. In a revolving fan mechanism, the combination of a supporting pedestal, a frame member rotatably mounted thereon, an arm having pivotal mounting on said frame member, gearing housed within portions of said frame member and said arm and comprising a member the axis of which is coincident with the pivotal axis of said arm, a motor supported upon said arm, a fan operably associated with the motor, and means for driving said gearing from said motor to rotate the frame.

15. In a revolving fan mechanism, the combination of a supporting pedestal, a frame rotatably mounted thereon, angularly adjustable arms carried by said frame, in dependently operating motors supported on the respective arms, gearing inclosed within said frame and one of said arms and actuated by one of said motors to rotate the frame and cause the revolution of the motors about the pedestal, and fans operably associated with the motor.

16. A revolving fan mechanism including the combination of a stationary pedestal member, a frame rcvoluble thereon, a fan and its operating motor carried by the frame and adjustable to vary the inclination of the fans axis, and gearing comprising a member the axis of which is coincident with the axis of adjustment of the fan and its motor and constituting a positive driving connection between the shaft of the fan motor and the pedestal, whereby the frame and the fan are revolved around the pedestal member at a speed which has a constant definite relation to the speed of the fan-motor shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of Dec.

OLIVER S. JENNINGS. Witnesses:

R. D. BROWN, B. B. HINES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

